The Special Communication and Information Security State Service (SCISSS) organized the “6th Summit Meeting of IT Heads of Government Agencies” to facilitate the exchange of experience among the leadership responsible for information security in government institutions, as well as to discuss sector-specific challenges and new opportunities. The event brought together representatives from over 70 government agencies.
The Summit was opened by SCISSS Deputy Chief, Major General Allahverən Ismayilov, who welcomed the participants and emphasized that information security is no longer solely a technical issue, but a matter of national security, economic stability, and public trust. Highlighting the growing risks associated with deeper digitalization, Ismayilov noted that, according to global statistics, over 40% of attacks targeting government agencies in the first half of 2024 were aimed at critical infrastructure. He also underscored the importance of Azerbaijan’s first “Bug Bounty” program and stressed the significance of cooperation between government institutions and the private sector. Additionally, he invited participants to the “CIDC-2025 – Cyberwar in Smart Cities” event, to be held at the Baku Congress Center on 9–10 October, and expressed gratitude to the European Union and the e-Governance Academy of Estonia for their support in international collaboration.
Following this, Elza Neeme, a cybersecurity expert at the e-Governance Academy, and Klaid Magi, Azerbaijan coordinator of the “Enhancing Cyber Resilience in Eastern Partnership Countries” project, highlighted the importance of sharing international best practices with the attendees.
During the event, SCISSS Deputy Chief Tural Mammadov delivered a presentation on “The State of Information Security in Government Agencies, Cyberwar in Smart Cities, Innovations, and Future Plans.” Together with Miraqşin Abutalıbov, founder of the local cybersecurity startup “Qarabug,” he presented the results of the first-ever “Bug Bounty” program conducted on government information resources.
Additionally, Rustam Hasanov, advisor to the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, spoke on “Prospects of Open-Source Solutions for Government Agencies.”
The Summit concluded with discussions on incentivizing government employees in the sector, analyzing cyberincident examples, emerging trends, threats, and challenges faced by government institutions. An open debate enabled participants to learn from each other’s experiences and propose joint solutions.
The “Summit Meeting of IT Heads of Government Agencies” serves as an important platform for strengthening cooperation among government agencies in the field of information security, discussing innovations, and shaping future action plans.